To read this content please select one of the options below:

Which types of leadership styles do followers prefer? A decision tree approach

Reza Salehzadeh (Department of Management, Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani University, Isfahan, Iran)

International Journal of Educational Management

ISSN: 0951-354X

Article publication date: 11 September 2017

11223

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new method to find the appropriate leadership styles based on the followers’ preferences using the decision tree technique.

Design/methodology/approach

Statistical population includes the students of the University of Isfahan. In total, 750 questionnaires were distributed; out of which, 680 accurate questionnaires were used for data analysis. This research in five steps proposes a framework to extract the information about the leadership styles that followers like and this method is examined for situational leadership theory’s styles among the university students.

Findings

Based on the results of the decision tree model, 27 rules were discovered. Also, the findings imply that, most undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students prefer directing, coaching, and supporting styles, respectively.

Originality/value

The results of this research help leaders to find a better understanding about the followers’ preferences.

Keywords

Citation

Salehzadeh, R. (2017), "Which types of leadership styles do followers prefer? A decision tree approach", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 31 No. 7, pp. 865-877. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-04-2016-0079

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles